Choosing the best air cleaner
I need to get a room air cleaner for my son’s allergies. I see advertisements on television for expensive ones with no fans and others called “HEPA.” How can I tell which air cleaner is the best? A huge array of various room-air-cleaner designs and styles is available. Unlike the case with most home products,…
It’s not easy being queen
Stephen Frears’ The Queen is a fascinating and surprisingly entertaining look at how Britain’s royal family was forced to come to terms with their place in the modern world, seemingly overnight. The sudden death of Princess Diana sets off a chain reaction of events that Queen Elizabeth II (an excellent Helen Mirren) could not have…
In the path of progress
Users of Springfield’s Interurban Trail have known for some time now that once construction begins on a project to lengthen MacArthur Boulevard to Interstate 72, they would have to find somewhere else to jog, ride, walk, and skate. But as plans inch forward for the proposed MacArthur Extension, what will become of the 1.4 mile-long…
Rest in peace, Robert Altman
The recent passing of Robert Altman is one of the greatest losses to the world of cinema. My high regard for his work should be apparent from past columns, including the one last week, which was written before his death. Altman has been a personal obsession ever since I saw M*A*S*H at the Senate Theatre…
The write stuff
Carol Manley is one of the best writers in Illinois today, but you can’t buy a book with her name on the cover — yet. She is a contributing editor to the “People’s Poetry” column in Illinois Times and occasionally contributes an article, so you may have gotten a sense of her talent. This year,…
Only the beginning
On the first and third Tuesday of each month, 11 men and women decide how many sex offenders can live next door to you in Springfield, whether you can burn your leaves, where you can smoke, and which businesses will go up in your back yard. Believe it or not, your representative on the City…
Best books of ’06
The holiday season is a perfect time to hit the bookstore and select the ideal book for each reader on your list. Here are suggestions in six different categories. FICTION The number 13 may be considered unlucky, but not for two authors’ new books. The Thirteenth Tale (Atria, 416 pages, $26), by new author Diane…
A less-than-spirited return for Jay-Z
It’s difficult to muster up the nerve to throw stones at a guy like Jay-Z. Ever running the rap game, he released a chain of hits, rarely missing a link and never staying off the charts for long. From his rocketing start with Reasonable Doubt to his graceful bow-out on The Black Album, the Brooklyn-born…
The Great Communicator
Abraham Lincoln said goodbye to Springfield in a succinct, emotion-filled speech on Feb. 11, 1861. “To this place, and the kindness of these people,” Lincoln said, “I owe every thing.” Residents of the capital city should know the Farewell Address: It’s been republished frequently, and the full text is on display at the presidential museum.…
Dr. Gonzo comes home
At the height of his career, in the 1980s, he was a headliner. He had audiences all across the country rolling in the aisles. He shared stages with Jerry Seinfeld and Huey Lewis, partied with Joe Walsh and Robin Williams. He showed a young Drew Carey the ropes. His stage name was Dr. Gonzo, and,…
A comparitive study of visiting bands
This week, we will study the similarities and differences between two bands playing in Springfield on Saturday night, Dec. 2. First, both bands are based in large metropolitan areas of Missouri: The Stone Cat Band (playing Marly’s Pub, 9 W. Old State Capitol Plaza, 217-522-2280) is from St. Louis; Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys…
Books for kid cooks
Say what you will about the Food Network (and I can say plenty), the cable channel has gotten many children interested in cooking. With any luck, some youngsters are able to look beyond the glitz and hype to discover the pleasures of cooking and eating real food. Food and cooking can provide a way for…
Lend a hand
Illinois Times invited local nonprofit organizations to tell our readers what’s on their wish lists, other than financial support, for the holidays. American Red Cross 1045 Outer Park Dr., 217-787-7602 The American Red Cross, Illinois Capital Area Chapter, provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The…
Rebels in the newsroom
“It’s dangerous,” Voltaire warned, “to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.” Dean Baquet and Jeffrey Johnson could tell you all about that. Until recently, Baquet was the editor and Johnson the publisher of the Los Angeles Times, America’s fourth-largest newspaper. In a rare and gutsy move in today’s world of…
Coal miners: “Please save our lives.”
Though I knew how the story turned out, as I read I kept hoping that one of the safety inspection reports on Centralia Coal Co. Mine No. 5 would move somebody to action before it was too late. In the months, even years, before that fateful day in 1947, the state mine inspector sent report…
Letters to the Editor
We welcome letters. Please include your name, address, and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to Letters, Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705; e-mail to editor@illinoistimes.com; fax to 753-3958. DON’T IMPEACH; LET’S GO FORWARD Let me say first that I’m a new Democrat, not politically connected. Here is why I agree…
Gardening book gifts
If you have a gardener on your holiday shopping list, consider yourself lucky. Gardening enthusiasts may be the easiest people to please when it comes to buying gifts: We’re always excited about the latest gardening gadgets, and we can’t refuse a good gardening book. With the vast selection of garden books available, where does the…
Spiff up your spuds
Like most patriotic Americans, I love a mountain of mashed potatoes, swimming in a pool of gravy, mingling with the other goodies on my plate. But this year I’m ready to move beyond Norman Rockwell’s continent and travel to the other America where the potato got its start. I’m talking about Peru. Along with quinoa…
Revenge of the nurses
I am strong! I fear only soy milk and . . . kidney stones. I’m in and out of sleep here, and someone named Judge Judy has just sentenced me to death! She holds court above me. I stand alone, down below, trying to explain my side of a legal conflict concerning a shirt mangled…
